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T. S. BURNETT. CARRIAGE TOP. No. 247,161. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

- WITNESSES? I VENTEIR= N. FETER. mmumom. wzwn wn. DJ;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. BURNETT, OF S YRAOUSE NEW YORK.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,161, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed May 9,1881. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS S. BURNETT,

is rendered more commodious.

The invention also relates to a simple and effeetive device for supporting the carriage-top when in a folded position.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carriage -seat provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the skeleton frame of the improved carriage-top, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached view of the joint of that slat-iron to which the top-prop is attached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A, B, andG represent three wooden bows of the usual form, supporting, respectively, the rear, front, and center of thecarriage-top when erected.

The rear bow, A, is forwardly inclined and has rigidly attached to each ofits extremities a so-called slat-iron, a, which has its lower end pivoted to the rail B, permanently secured to the sides of the carriage or its seat.

The front bow, B, is rearwardlyinclined and has its extremities firmly secured to slat-irons c c, which cross the slat-iron a, and arepivoted to the rear end of the rails B respectively, at opposite sides of the seat. The slat-iron c is also pivoted to the slat-iron c at their point of crossing by a bolt passing through eyes b b on the respective irons. Intermediately between the aforesaid pivotal connections of the slat-iron c said iron is provided with a knucklejoint, d, which allows the section below said joint to fold downward and causes the upper end of the bow B to swing rearward.

The two bows A and B are braced in their distended or erect position bya rod,D,pivoted at its extremities to the upper portion of the said bows.

An intermediate knuckle-joint, f, in the rod D, in conjunction with theknuckle-joint din the slat-iron 0, allows the carriage-top to fold rearward.

It will be observed that by the arrangement of the bows and their respective slat-irons, disposed diagonally and crossing each other in the manner described and shown,the carriage-top is thoroughly braced when erected, so as to effectually relieve the back quarter and back curtain of the strain which ordinary carriage-tops subjects them to. Furthermore, my improved carriage-top renders the front of the seat more readily accessible.

Between the slat-irons a and c of the rear and front bows one or moreintermediate bows, O, are pivoted, said how 0 supporting the central portion of the carriage-top, and having on its extremity an iron, 6, pivoted on the bolt which connects the front bow, B, to the rear bow, A, at their point of crossing.

To properly support the carriage-top when opened and folded back I provide the lower section of the slat-iron 0 with a rigid rearward extension, 1*, having alaterally-projectin g pad or shoulder, s, to receive and support the bow A and intermediate bows 0 when thrown back, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Having described myinvention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The forwardly-inclined rear bow, A, havin g the slat-iron a pivoted to the forward part of the rail R, and provided intermediately with the eye I), the rearwardly-inclined front bow, B, having the slatiron 0 crossing the iron a and pivoted to the rear part of the rail It and to the eye 1) respectively, and provided between said pivotal connections with the knuckle-joint d, the central how, 0, terminating with an iron, 6, pivoted to the irons a and c at or near their point of crossing, and the brace D, pivoted to the upper portion of the bows A In testimonywhereof Ihavehereunto signed and Brespectiveiy, and havingintermediately my name and affixed my seal, in the presence the knuckle-jointf, all as shown and described. of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the 2. In combination with the bows A and B, oountyof Onondaga,in the Stateof NewYork, 15 5 crossing each other and pivoted together and this 30th day of April, 1881.

to the front and rear end of the rail R respectively, as shown, the slat-iron 0, provided with THOMAS S. BURNETT. [L. S.] the knuckle-joint d and with the rigid rearward extension 1", having the laterally-project Witnesses: Io ingpad orshonlders,substantially as described K. HEY,

and shown, for the purpose set forth. WM. 0. RAYMOND. 

